Figure 2.

Proportion of female MS patients taking at least one drug not recommended during pregnancy stratified by the level of evidence. Shown is the proportion of women taking at least one drug classified as ‘not recommended during pregnancy’ stratified by the number of databases (a) for the entire study population (n = 212) and (b) for the subgroups PwCo (n = 101) and Pw/oCo (n = 111). More than 90% of the patients took ⩾ 1 drug not recommended during pregnancy by ⩾ 1 of the 4 databases used. Exactly 7.5% of the patients used ⩾ 1 drug that was consistently classified as potentially harmful for the foetal development in all four databases. PwCo took significantly more often ⩾ 1 drug with potential harmfulness in pregnancy according to at least one or two databases than Pw/oCo.

n, number of patients; p, p value (Fisher’s exact test); PwCo, patients using contraceptives^#; Pw/oCo, patients using no contraceptives^#.

^#The grouping of patients was based on the use of either birth control pills or vaginal rings as hormonal contraceptives.